Anything unique about the Highline's linkage?

I got to actually fondle a Highline frame this week, and briefly ride an RFX. The Highline is an impressively burly frame. It looks like a fusion of a couple types of rear suspension designs. Although some people have commented they really liked the ride, there is a darth of the usual Homer analysis of the suspension. Does it have a name? What characteristics does it have on various terrain? And most importantly, how does it ride compared to the other big bikes in it's class such as the VPX, the Supermoto, or perhaps the Rogue?

Unfortunatly, I won't be able to go to Beyond Bikes Demo Day tomorrow, where there will be a Highline, and demo's from Intense and Ellsworth. Hopefully someone from the boards will be there and post their thoughts.

i think the highline is a seatstay pivot bike like the other turners...nonetheless im sure it is really dialed in! i test rode the rfx and it is a great descender, a little more pedal bob than i would prefer, but i guess thats the trade off for six inches of travel!

the highline would be classed, if needed, as a faux bar or link activated. i think it rides like a dream up and down. seriously i think it climbs better than my old xce (four bar) partly because of the riding i'm doing but also the trails near where i live vary from roots to rocks to fire road to sweet singletrack through moorland. yes it's heavier but it's nice and short at the back, tight HA for singletrack and with the dhx shock being adjustable for silky smooth to hardass and anything inbetween i'm sure you can make it work for you.

The answer to your question is YES, there is something unique about the Highline's linkage.....the swing link. The way that it sweeps back to attach to the stays as rearward as possible, is what gives the frame it's great lateral rigidity.

I have read that thread (BTW Airwreck, very nice Highline) but was looking for more details. I am sure the bike is a very dialed package, and I am glad to hear it climbs well and handles well in single track. I guess I'll ask about the ride....

Does it feel like a DH bike when pedaling it, or does it feel more like a big RFX when the seat is up (not talking about weight here)? Does the DHX-A work well with it, or do you loose some travel?

I want a bigger bike, but still not sure how much bigger. When testing the RFX (which was set up with a AM1) I couldn't help thinking it felt a lot like a big Spot. I could make mine bigger with a Pike and Push mod and be pretty close. The Highline might be overkill for me, for a while, but at least there would be less crossover with my 5 Spot.

The answer to your question is YES, there is something unique about the Highline's linkage.....the swing link. The way that it sweeps back to attach to the stays as rearward as possible, is what gives the frame it's great lateral rigidity.

It sure looks rigid. I wonder if that swing link also changes the stroke, making it it more progressive later in the travel?

Thanks brah.
The Spot goes on a diet. It was over 35lbs with my zilla friendly wheelset(EX823 36h...can you say overcompensation?). All that heft moved over to the RFX. The Spot should be just around 30-31 where it belongs.

Does it feel like a DH bike when pedaling it, or does it feel more like a big RFX when the seat is up (not talking about weight here)? Does the DHX-A work well with it, or do you loose some travel?

I'm really not the best person to answer, but that's never stopped me before .
It doesn't feel like a DH bike when pedaling at all. The DHX-A has been great for me and judging from the o-ring position I am using all the travel. I am very satisfied with the shock but have yet to run a coil on my highline.

Originally Posted by scepticshock

I guess a 7 pack would be perfect, but that doesn't exist.

The highline is better suited to tweaking for an inch less travel than the RFX is for adding an inch. With the shorter shock my bike is very similar in geo to an RFX but has 7+ inches of travel.

I think your wheel/tire and fork choices are going to have more to do with the bike feeling DH rather than am/freeride. I have had two different wheelsets on my highline and had a few different wheels on my rfx over the years. The way that my highline is currently configured makes it feel kinda slugish to get up to speed and climbing is fairly tough. With a 66 with eta and some medium weight wheels you would be feeling pretty good. I built mine for bashing, crashing, and finish line glory on the roughest courses around. For the smoother trails and sprinting situations I'm keeping the RFX for now.

Yea, I'm coming off an RFX.
My highline is not set up for DH at this time, except for tubes. Adding the DH tires does slow things down uphill but I've been getting along fine with light tires and heavy tubes lately. The highline is my only bike and I'm looking forward to picking up another rear shock and fork for pure DH, for now I'm digging the lite mode, and I am going considerably faster downhill. If we had a race scene things would be different.

How does the Highline with the 66 build compare to the RFX in rock gardens on the downhills and pedaling through rocks on the flats? If I go the highline route I would lean toward the single crown fork and associated build.

The extra travel and increased rigidity of the frame makes the highline excel in the rock gardens. On the flat rocky pedaling, technique probably plays a bigger role, if you've got it the highline will please.

The 66 with a 8.5x2.5 rear shock produces a fairly low BB for a bike with 7+" of travel, personally I'll take the added stability of the lower CoG over the increase in clearance. The Totem or a Travis with the stock shock sounds good also. Since I'm not very tall, a high BB isn't something I really appreciate until very high speeds, but I can't say for certain as I've only run it in the "lite" mode so far...

To summarize my RFX to Highline/lite experience so far, the highline is feeling more controlled and flickable in the air and I'm riding the gnar much faster. The frame is solid and the rear axle/derailer hanger setup is a huge bonus for me since I used to thrash my rear mech often. The HL also has a shorter TT, which I was looking forward to.

The extra travel and increased rigidity of the frame makes the highline excel in the rock gardens. On the flat rocky pedaling, technique probably plays a bigger role, if you've got it the highline will please.

The 66 with a 8.5x2.5 rear shock produces a fairly low BB for a bike with 7+" of travel, personally I'll take the added stability of the lower CoG over the increase in clearance. The Totem or a Travis with the stock shock sounds good also. Since I'm not very tall, a high BB isn't something I really appreciate until very high speeds, but I can't say for certain as I've only run it in the "lite" mode so far...

To summarize my RFX to Highline/lite experience so far, the highline is feeling more controlled and flickable in the air and I'm riding the gnar much faster. The frame is solid and the rear axle/derailer hanger setup is a huge bonus for me since I used to thrash my rear mech often. The HL also has a shorter TT, which I was looking forward to.

Thanks! That summery was helpful! I definately would want to get more clearance then my Spot currently gives. Some days the pedal banging can get annoying. Possibly my only gripe.